DAWSONVILLE - Authorities said the bodies of two men, missing since January second, were found in the waters of Lake Lanier in Dawson County Friday afternoon.

The two had told family members that they were going night fishing in Frederick's Cove on Lake Lanier at a boat dock across the road from one of their homes. They hadn't been seen since.

Authorities discovered the bodies off of a different dock around the cove.

"Around 5:30 to 5:45 the Hall County Dive Team pulled both bodies from the lake, those bodies being one of Mason Cox and David Wood," Dawson County Sheriff's Major Tony Wooten said.

Authorities, family and friends had been looking for the two 20-year-olds, who were described as long time friends.

Wooten said the Georgia Department of Natural Resources used sonar technology from a boat Friday. They found the men about 30 feet off of a dock in 15 to 20 feet of water.

Wooten said autopsies are planned next week.

"Preliminary results that we saw when pulling the bodies out were no significant signs of trauma, nothing that would indicate any signs of foul play at that point," Wooten said.

The mothers of the two friends held a news conference on January third to plead with the public for information and to ask their sons to contact them if they were listening or watching media. An online petition was also circulated asking for national media attention in the effort to find the men.

"It's a sad situation, but we're glad that we're able to bring closure to the family. At least they know what happened at this point. They know where the kids are," Wooten said.

The Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners (BOC) recently signed a Settlement Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), five years after an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) audit of county facilities.